Pneumatic game-board



Ym H A m U NA 0G wm T M A -M U m EP A d O M 0 W No. 460,593. Patented Oct. 6, 1 891 WIUVESSES:

ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES P TENT OFFICE.

EDVIN L. MCCONAUGHY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

PNEUMATIC GAME-BOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 460,593, dated October 6, 1891.

Application filed December 3, 1890- Serial No. 373,485. (No model.)

To 05% whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN L. MoCoNAUGHY, of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Pneumatic Game-Board, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a novel and amusing game and the device whereon it is played, the object being to produce an innocent and entertaining amusement for children or adults which will require a certain amount of judgment and dexterity to accomplish the result aimed at and comply with the rules of the game, a further object being to provide a neat, compact, and inexpensive game-board whereon a readily-moved object is driven by successive pneumatic impulses from one point to another and finally into a goal.

I To these ends my invention consists in the construction of the game-board, as is hereinafter described and claimed. A

Reference is to be made to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters and numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a plan View of the game-board with the traveler set to commence the game. Fig. 2 is a reverse plan view of the device, and Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3 3 in Fig. 1.

A base-board A is provided, which is made of any suitable material. For economyin production wood is preferred therefor. The general surface of the top of the base-board A is level, the deviation therefrom being hereinafter explained. The base-board just mentioned is made of a convenient size for manipulation, as the device is held in one hand when the game is in progress, and in contour said board is preferably made triangular with outwardly-arched sides, the sides and angles being equal, respectively considered, or the board may be given any other suitable shape.

Near the center of the base-board A a circular depression a, termed the bear-pit, is formed, which is of suitable depth, and around the margin of the pit a an incline Z) is produced, which slopes upwardly from the level surface of the base-board to the circular edge of the cavity named.

Around the margin of the base-board A a vertical cushion-wall B is erected, which may be made of a thin strip of'wood or other material, and on a rabbeted edge of the upright wall B a plate of glass C is preferably placed, although this cover may be dispensed with.

Around the pit a a series of cupped depressions c are produced at intervals which may be of equal length or otherwise. As shown, there are eight cups or stations 0; but the number may be changed to increase or diminish the same, if desired, said stations being consecutively numbered, as shown in Fig. 1.

Between each successive pair of stations 0, as the cups are termed, there is a shallow channel (1 cut to form a track, in which the traveler D is designed to roll. The stations 0, as represented, are arranged to produce a polygonal figure when connected by the channels or paths d; but an irreguar course may be given to run zigzag around the pit a, if

preferred, and at the terminal station of the series a direct channel or path d is cut, which extends therefrom to the edge of the pit a.

In each of the cupped stations 0 a perforation e is formed near one edge, all of these perforations being extended obliquely downward through the base-board A, said holes 7 being preferably joined by shallow guidegrooves g, produced on the lower surface of the board A, as shown in Fig. 2, and at the center of the pit to a vertical perforation h is formed.

The movable object D is placed within the border-wall B on the board A, and by its change of position the game is played. Preferably the "bear, as the piece D is designated, consists of a spherical ball made of any light material, cork being Well adapted for the purpose. The size of the bear D should be proportional to the depth and width of the cupped stations 6, so that it will rest in any one of the stations, but may be easily made to move therefrom.

As before indicated, the means employed to progressively move the bear D is a jet of air, and as a convenient means to apply the same the self-expanding jet-blower E, of ordinary form, is preferably employed; but other means may be provided-as, for example, a curved tube having a nozzle to enter the perforations e and by engagement with the mouth of the operator convey a jet of air therefrom to propel the ball or bear D may be used.

In operation the bear D is placed on the station 1 and the board A held steadily in the left hand of the player, a horizontal position being necessary to prevent an improper movement of the piece. The jet-blower E is now applied to the orifice below the station 1 and a forward impulse given to the bear D by a compression of the gum ball or air-reservoir of the blower, the rules of the gamerequiring that the force of the air'jet shall be just sufficient to move the hear from one station to another until he has been driven around the course and is resting at the terminal station 8, when a dexterous manipulation of the jetblower will propel the bear up the inclined path (1 into the bear-pit a.

There may be certain values attached to the several stations 0, which may count against the player if he is not successful in driving the bear into the pit, and a fixed value or number in the game allowed to be counted if the player accomplishes the desired result without violating the requirements of the game. If a player fails to conquer the bear, he loses his play and must await his turn for another chance.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A game-board having a border-wall, a series of cupped stations on it which are connected by paths indented in the board, each station having a perforation made through the board into it for the insertion of the nozzle of an air-jet producer, and one or more light objects which can beactuated by a jet of ail-and driven from station to station, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a game-board having a border-wall and cupped stations on the board, which stations are intersected by perforations through the board, of a movable object which may be propelled by an air-jet through a perforation, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a base-board having a border-wall, a pit, and cupped stations, each having an oblique air-passage extending through the baseboard, of a ball of light material that will roll in paths extending between stations when impelled by a jet of air and also enter the pit, substantially as setforth.

t. The combination, with a game-board having a border-wall, cupped stations on the board, which stations are intersected by perforations through the board, and a movable object which may be propelled by an air-jet, of a portable air-jet producer, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with a base-board having three curved walls, a transparent cover thereon, a central pit, and cupped stations around the pit, each having an oblique airpassage extending through the base-board, of a ball of light material that will roll in paths extending between stations when impelled by a jet of air and also enter the pit, and a portable air-jet blower, substantially as set forth.

ED\VIN L. MGOONA'UGHY.

\Vitnesses:

FRED. A. Human, WM. A. BAKER. 

